FijiTV
MARKET ANNOUNCEMENT
For immediate release
FOX CHANNELS RETURN TO SKY PACIFIC
5” September 2014, Suva, Fiji Fiji Television Limited Chairman Padam Lala
today announces the return of some of the channets offered by FOX
international Channels (FIC) and the BBC channel that were recently
dropped from Sky Pacific's digital platform.
Fiji Television Limited Chief Executive Officer. Tevita Gonelevu says that
negotiations with FIC have been successful and Fiji TV is indeed
appreciative of the positive outcome.
FIC’s General Manager of Emerging Markets and Pacific islands, Alex
Maier, says that the reinstatement of FIC’s channels on Fiji TV's digital
platform, Sky Pacific, is welcomed. FIC vaiues the growth and viewer
support of FIC’s channels in the Pacific isiands.
During this month of September. four (4) of FIC’s channels will be
activated, Star Plus, NatGeo Wild. FX and Fox Crime. The remaining
channel, Fox Family Movies, will be activated once fibre bandwidth is
sorted out. All Fox Channels are cleared for Papua New Guinea with the
exception of Star Plus which can only be viewed in Fiji and other Pacific
Islands
Sky Pacific's digital platform currently caters for 25 channels only. Having
additional bandwidth allows for additional channels which can then
increase SKY Pacific's channel lineup beyond the current 25 channels.
Sky Pacific now has 25 compelling channels that cater for all viewers and
genre
A major concem for FIC and Fiji TV is the piracy of FIC’s channels by
commercial subscribers in Fiji and throughout the Pacific Islands. Maier
says that their lawyers have been instructed to issue letters to some of Fiji's
international hotels requiring them to cease with their piracy of FIC’s
channels. A similar letter will be issued to Pay TV operators throughout the
Pacific islands who are pirating FIC's channels.
Gonelevu stated that piracy has had a negative impact on Fiji TV's
business. Piracy of broadcaster channels and programs is an on - going
challenge within the Pacific region where Copyright laws are not strongly
adhered to. The same piracy has also affected locai musicians’ music as
well. Fiji TV is a member of FAVIA, an organization that looks at the
protection of intellectual proprietary of its members. Gonelevu requested
that the regulatory authorities enforce the fight against piracy and shut
down the pirates’ activities.FijiTV
Separately, BBC is also heavily pirated by some of the commercial
subscribers in Fiji and also throughout the Pacific Islands. The BBC team in
Australia had been informed of the commercial subscribers that are
pirating its channel, an issue that has been raised previously to the BBC
team. Fiji TV pays license fees in USD currency to all its Content suppliers.
Gonelevu says that it is not right that pirates are allowed to walk away
without legally paying license fees to Content Suppliers.
Fiji TV also took into consideration the concems and comments from the
subscribers when premium channels were dropped. During the period of
the channel changes, only five (5) Sky Pacific subscribers unsubscribed
from Sky Pacific as a result of the loss of premium channels. Gonelevu
says Fiji TV will always respect the rights of subscribers who do not want to
view and pay for its Pay TV service.
The positive outcome to the channel changes were the comments from
subscribers who were willing to pay an increased monthly subscription tee
just to bring back these premium channels. Having all Fox and BBC
Channels has certainly increased Fiji TV's Costs of Goods and a review of
the monthly subscription fee will need to be undertaken by Fiji TV. Fiji TV
has gone through two (2) devaluations, increase in VAT and increase of
Content costs and despite all these factors, monthly subscription fees
have not been increased.
Aaotia o
Mabe
Padam Lala *’Serai Roxburg}
‘Chairman Company Secretary
Fiji Television Limited Fiji Television Limited
For more information, please contact Company Secretary, Serai Roxburgh
on email: sroxburgh@fijitv.com.fi.
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